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ANCIENT BRITAIN. 


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HISTORY 


OF THE 


Undent SSrttong* 




The history of the Ancient Britons, originally published 
in Latin, and under the title Historia Brittonum , commonly 
attributed to Nennius, is translated from a manuscript edited 
by Mark the Hermit, in the tenth century, discovered 
some years ago, in searching for manuscripts relating to 
Britain, in the library of the Vatican palace at Rome; 
and is by turns assigned to Nennius; to an anonymous 
Anglo - Saxon ; to Gildas (sapiens) the historian; and 
to Mark the Anchorite: yet it does not appear that there 
is sufficient reason to yield the claim to either of these 
in preference to the other.* But to account for the singu¬ 
larity of assigning to various authors the same performance, 
nothing was more common in early times, than for the 
transcribers of the ancient British manuscripts to affix their 
own names to the same work, with such additions as they 

* British history, like that of most other countries, is clouded with fiction, 
and enveloped with contradictions and absurdities. 


4 


HISTORY OF THE 


thought proper, so as to make it pass for their own com¬ 
position. 

Nennius has been described by several ancient authors, 
as a British historian, the brother both of Caswallon and 
Ludd; that he fell in an encounter by the hand of Julius 
Csesar; and that he was the same Nennius who wrote a 
book of the British history, which was afterwards translated 
into Latin by his name-sake, the Abbot of Bangor, about 
the tenth century. 

If any truth be involved in this account, it may be in¬ 
ferred that there was once a British history which furnished 
these excerpta, or such of them as have reference to a re¬ 
mote period ; and that the manuscript might have been 
originally written in the vernacular tongue. 

The island of Britain, stiff-necked and stubborn-minded 
from the time of its being first inhabited, is situated on 
almost the utmost border of the earth, towards the south 
and west, and poised by the Divine balance, as is said, 
which supports the whole world, stretches out from the 
south-west towards the north pole, and is 800 miles in 
length and 200 in breadth, except where the head-lands of 
promontories stretch further into the sea, surrounded by 
the ocean, which forms winding bays, and is strongly de¬ 
fended by the ample barrier, save on the south side, where 
the narrow sea affords a passage to Bclgic Gaul. It is en¬ 
riched by the mouths of two noble rivers, the Thames and 
the Severn, as it were two arms, by which foreign luxuries 
were of old imported, and by other streams of less im¬ 
portance. In ancient times it was embellished by divers 
castles, with high walls, towers, well-barred gates, and 
houses with threatening battlements built on high, and 
was provided with all the requisite instruments of de¬ 
fence : Spacious plains, hills pleasantly situated, and 
adapted for superior tillage, and mountains calculated 


ANCIENT BRITONS. 


5 


for the alternate pasturage of cattle, where flowers of various 
colours, trodden by the feet of man, gave the appearance of 
a lovely picture : Decked, like the chosen bride, with divers 
jewels, livid fountains, and abundant brooks wandering over 
the snow-white sands; with transparent rivers, flowing in 
gentle murmurs, and offering a pledge of sweet slumber to 
those who recline upon their banks; whilst it is irrigated 
by abundant lakes, which pour forth cool torrents of re¬ 
freshing water. 

This short History of the Ancient Britons, is ex¬ 
tracted from Nemiius, the disciple of Elbotus , and selected 
partly from traditions, partly from writings and monuments 
of the ancient inhabitants of Britain, partly from the annals 
of the Romans and ancient chronicles, and from the histories 
of the Scots and Saxons ,—put together from these various 
sources, in order that it may be handed down to posterity, 
with an intention to benefit rising generations, commencing 
with a chronological history from the time of Adam, to the 
incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

From Adam to the flood, are two thousand and forty- 
two years. From the flood to Abraham, nine hundred and 
forty-two. From Abraham to Moses, six hundred.* From 
Moses to Solomon, and the first building of the temple, 
four hundred and forty-eight. From Solomon to the re¬ 
building of the temple, which was under Darius, King of 
the Persians, six hundred and twelve years are computed. 
From Darius to the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, and 
to the fifteenth year of the Emperor Tiberius, are five hun¬ 
dred and forty-eight years. So that from Adam to the 
ministry of Christ, and the fifteenth year of the Emperor 
Tiberius, are five thousand two hundred and twenty-eight 


* 640 years, according to Stephenson. 


6 


HISTORY OF THE 


years. From the Passion of Christ are completed nine 
hundred and forty-six; from his Incarnation, nine hundred 
and seventy-six; being the fifth year of Edmund, King of 
the Angles.* 

The first age of the world is from Adam to Noah ; the 
second from Noah to Abraham; the third from Abraham 
to David; the fourth from David to Daniel; the fifth to 
John the Baptist; the sixth from John to the Judgment; 
when our Lord Jesus Christ will come to judge the living 
and the dead, and the world by fire. 

The following were the Roman Emperors who visited 
Britain: 

The fiist, Julius. The second, Claudius. The third, Se- 
verus. The fourth, Carinus. The fifth, Constantius. The 
sixth, Maximus. The seventh, Maximianus. The eighth, 
another Severus ASquantius. The ninth, Constantius. 

According to the History of the Britons, edited by 
Mark the Anchorite, a holy bishop of that people,— 
the island of Britain derives its name from Brutus, a 
Roman consul. Taken from the south-west point it inclines 
a little towards the west, and to its northern extremity 
measures eight hundred miles, and is in breadth two hun¬ 
dred, and contains thirty-three cities, the names of which 
are:— 


•I* Cair ebrauc ( York). 

u 

TI- Cair ceint ( Canterbury). 

U 

•IIP Caia gurcoc. 

u 

Till* Cair guorthegern. 

•V- Cair gusteint ( Carnarvon ). 

u 

•VI* Cair guoranegon ( Worces¬ 
ter). 


•VIP Cair segeint (Silchester ). 
•VIII* Cair guin truis. 

•IX- Cair merdin. 

u 

•X* Cair peris (Porch ester.) 
•XI- Cair lion. 

u 

•XII* Cairmencipit (Verulam.) 

u 

•XIII* Cair caratauc. 


* See the works of Gildas and Nennius, translated from the Latin by J. A. 
Giles, LL.D. 



ANCIENT BRITONS. 


7 


•XIIII. Cair ceri ( Cirencester). 
*XV. Cair gloui ( Gloucester). 
XVI- Cair luilid {Carlisle). 

u 

•XVII. Cairgraut ( Granchester) 
+ 

•XVIII* Cair daun ( Doncaster ) 
•XVIIII* Cair britoc ( Bristol). 

u 

•XX’ Cair meguaid ( Meivod ). 
•XXI* Cair mauiguid. 

•XXII* Cair ligion {Chester). 

u 

•XXIII* Cair guent ( Caerwent 
near Che})stow). 

■XXIIII* Cair collon. 


•XXV. Cair londein (London). 

•XXVI. Cair guorcon. 

•XXVII- Cair lerion (Leicester.) 

•XXVIII. Cair draithou (Drai- 
ton). 

u 

•XXVIIII. Cair pensavelcoin 
(Ilchester.) 

•XXX* Cair teim. 

U 

•XXXI’ Cair urnnahac (Wrox- 
cester). 

•XXXII- Cair celernion. 
•XXXIII* Cair loit coit 


It has, also, a vast many promontories, and innu¬ 
merable castles, built of brick and stone. Its inhabit¬ 
ants consist of four different people; the Scots , the Piets , 
the Saxons , and the ancient Britons. 

Three considerable islands belong to it; one, on the 
south, opposite to the Armorican shore, called Wight ; * 
another between Ireland and Britain, called Eubonia, or 
Man; and another directly north, beyond the Piets, named 
Orkney; and hence it was anciently a proverbial expression 
in reference to its kings and rulers, “ He reigned over 
Britain and its three islands.” 

It is fertilized by several rivers, which traverse it in all 
directions, to the east and west, to the south and north; 
but there are two pre-eminently distinguished among the 
rest, the Thames and the Severn, which formerly, like the 
two arms of Britain, bore the ships employed in the con¬ 
veyance of the riches acquired by commerce. The Britons 
were once very populous, and exercised extensive dominion 
from sea to sea. 


* Inisgueith, or Gueith. 



8 


HISTORY OF THE 


Respecting the period when this island became inhabited 
subsequently to the flood, there are two distinct relations. 
According to the annals of the Roman history, the Britons 
deduce their origin both from the Greeks and Romans. On 
the side of the mother, from Lavinia, the daughter of La- 
tinus, King of Italy, and of the race of Silvanus, the son of 
Inachus, the son of Dardanus; who was the son of Saturn, 
King of the Greeks, and who having possessed himself of 
a part of Asia, built the city of Troy. Dardanus was the 
father of Troius, who was the father of Priam and Anchises; 
Anchises was the father of Eneas, who was the father of 
Ascanius and Silvius; and this Silvius was the son of Eneas 
and Lavinia, the daughter of die king of Italy. From the 
sons of Eneas and Lavinia descended Romulus and Remus, 
who were the sons of the holy Queen Rhea, and founders 
of Rome. Brutus was consul when he conquered Spain, 
and reduced that country to a Roman province. He after¬ 
wards subdued the island of Britain, whose inhabitants 
were the descendants of the Romans, from Silvius Posthu¬ 
mus, thus named, because he was born after the death of his 
father Eneas. His mother, Lavinia, having concealed herself 
during her pregnancy, and he having been born in a wood, 
was denominated Silvius ; and hence the Roman kings are 
called Sylvan ; but the Britains are those who sprang from 
the family of Brutus , or Bruto. 

Eneas, after the Trojan war, arrived with his son in 
Italy; and having vanquished Turnus, married Lavinia, 
the daughter of king Latinus, who was the son of Faunus, 
the son of Picus, the son of Saturn. After the death of 
Latinus, Eneas obtained the kingdom of the Romans, and 
Lavinia brought forth a son, who was named Silvius. As¬ 
canius founded Alba, and afterwards married. His wife, 
Lavinia, became pregnant, and Eneas being informed of it, 
ordered his son to send his magician, to examine his wife 


ANCIENT BRITONS. 


9 


whether the child conceived were male or female. The 
magician came and examined the wife, and pronounced it 
to be a son,* who should become the most valiant among 
the Italians, and the most beloved of all men. In conse¬ 
quence of this prediction, the magician was put to death by 
Ascanius; but it happened that the mother of the child 
dying at his birth, he was named Brutus; and after a cer¬ 
tain interval, agreeably to what the magician had foretold, 
he displayed such superiority among his play-fellows, that 
they seemed to consider him as their chief, f He was, from 
envy, expelled from Italy, and came to the islands of the 
Tyrrhene sea, when he was exiled on account of the death 
of Turnus, slain by Eneas. He then went among the 
Gauls, and built the city of the Turones, called Turnis. 
At length he came to this island, named from him Britan¬ 
nia, dwelt there, and filled it with his own descendants; 
and it has been inhabited from that time to the present 
period. 

Eneas reigned over the Latins three years; Ascanius 

thirty-three years; after whom Silvius reigned twelve 

\ 

years, and Posthumous thirty-nine years: the latter, from 
whom the kings of Alba are called Silvan , was brother to 
Brutus, who governed Britain at the time Eli the high 
priest judged Israel, and when the ark of the covenant was 
taken by a foreign people. But Posthumus his brother 
reigned among the Latins. 

After an interval of not less than eight hundred years, 
came the Piets, and occupied the Orkney Islands, whence 
they laid waste many regions, and seized those on the left- 

* It was foretold by the same magician that the expected son would slay 
his father and mother, and be hated by all mankind. 

f Whilst he was playing with some others, he shot his father with an 
arrow, not intentionally, but by accident. 

B 


10 


HISTORY OF THE 


hand side of Britain, where they remained, and kept pos¬ 
session of a third part of Britain for many years after. 

Long after this, the Scots arrived in Ireland from Spain. 
The first that came was Partholomus, with a thousand men 
and women ; these increased to four thousand ; but a mor¬ 
tality coming suddenly upon them, they all perished in one 
week. The second was Nimech, the son of Agnomen (or 
Aguomen) who, according to report, after having been at 
sea a year and a half, and having his ships shattered, ar¬ 
rived at a port in Ireland, and continuing there several 
years, returned at length with his followers to Spain. After 
these came three sons of a Spanish soldier with thirty ships, 
each of which contained thirty wives; and having remained 
there during the space of a year, there appeared to them 
in the middle of the sea, a tower of glass, the summit of 
which seemed covered with men, to whom they often spoke, 
but received no answer. At length they determined to 
besiege the tower; and after a year’s preparation, advanced 
towards it, with the whole number of their ships, and all 
the women, one ship only excepted, which had been 
wrecked, and in which were thirty men, and as many wo¬ 
men ; but when all had disembarked on the shore which 
surrounded the tower, the sea opened and swallowed them 
up. Ireland, however, was peopled, to the present period, 
from the family remaining in the vessel which was wrecked. 
Afterwards, others came from Spain, and possessed them¬ 
selves of various parts of Britain. 

Last of all came one Hoctor, who continued there, and 
whose descendants remain there to this day. Istoreth, the 
son of Istorinus, with his followers, held Dalmeta; Builc 
had the islaud Eubonia, and other adjacent places. The 
sons of Liethali obtained the country of the Dimetee, and 
the provinces Guoher and Cetgueli, which they held till 


ANCIENT BRITONS. 


11 


they were expelled from every part of Britain, by Cuneda 
and his sons. 

According to the most learned among the Scots, Ireland 
was a desert, and uninhabited, when the children of Israel 
crossed the Red Sea, in which, as we read in the Book of 
the Law, the Egyptians who followed them were drowned. 
At that period, there lived among this people, with a nu¬ 
merous family, a Scythian of noble birth, who had been 
banished from his country, and did not go to pursue 
the people of God. The Egyptians who were left, seeing 
the destruction of the great men of their nation, and fearing 
lest he should possess himself of their territory, took counsel 
together, and expelled him. Thus reduced, he wandered 
forty-two years in Africa, and arrived, with his family, at 
the altars of the Philistines, by the Lake of Osiers. Then 
passing between Rusica and the hilly country of Syria, they 
travelled by the river Malva through Mauritania as far as 
the Pillars of Hercules; and crossing the Tyrrhene Sea, 
landed in Spain, where they continued many years, having 
greatly increased and multiplied. Thence, a thousand and 
two years after the Egyptians were lost in the Red Sea, 
they passed into Ireland and the district of Dalrieta. At 
that period, Brutus, who first exercised the consular office, 
reigned over the Romans ; and the state, which before was 
governed by regal power, was afterwards ruled, during four 
hundred and forty-seven years, by consuls, tribunes of the 
people, and dictators. 

The Britons came to Britain in the third age of the world; 
and in the fourth, the Scots took possession of Ireland. 

The Britons who, suspecting no hostilities, were unpro¬ 
vided with the means of defence, were unanimously and 
incessantly attacked, both by the Scots from the west, and 
by the Piets from the north. A long interval after this,, 
the Romans obtained the empire of the world. 


12 


HISTORY OF THE 


From the first arrival of the Saxons into Britain, to the 
fourth year of King Mermenus, are computed four hundred 
and twenty-eight years ; from the Nativity of our Lord to 
the coming of St. Patrick among the Scots, four hundred 
and five years; from the death of St. Patrick to that of St. 
Bridget, forty years; and from the birth of Columcille to 
the death of St. Bridget, four years. 

There is another account of this Brutus, which states, 
that after the deluge, the three sons of Noah severally 
occupied three different parts of the earth: Shem ex¬ 
tended his borders into Asia, Ham into Africa, and Ja- 
phet into Europe. 

The first man that dwelt in Europe was Alanus, with his 
three sons, Hisicion, Armenon, and Neugio, (or Negue.) 
Hisicion had four sons, Francus, Romanus, Almanus, and 
Brutus. Armenon had five sons, Gothus, Valagothus, Ci- 
bidus, Burgundus, and Longobardus. Neugio had three 
sons, Vandalus, Saxo, and Boganus. From Hisicion arose 
four nations—the Franks, the Latins, the Germans, and 
Britons: from Armenon, the Gothi, Valagothi, Cibidi, 
Burgundi, and Longobardi: from Neugio, the Bogari, 
Vandali, Saxones, and Tarincgi. The whole of Europe was 
subdivided into these tribes. 

Alanus is said to have been the son of Fethuir; Fethuir 
the son of Ogomuin, who was the son of Thoi: Thoi was 
the son of Boibus ; Boibus of Semion ; Semion of Mair; 
Mair of Ecthactus; Ecthactus of Aurthack ; Aurthack of 
Ethec; Ethec of Ooth ; Ooth of Aber; Aber of Ha ; Ra of 
Esraa; Esraa of Hisrau ; Hisrau of Bath; Bath of Jobath; 
Jobath of Joham; Joham of Jafet; Jafet of Noah ; Noah 
of Lamech; Lamech of Mathusalem ; Mathusalem of E- 
noch ; Enoch of Jared ; Jared of Malalehel; Malalehel of 
Cainan ; Cainan of Enos ; Enos of Seth; Seth of Adam ; 


ANCIENT BRITONS. 


IS 


and Adam was formed by the living God. This informa¬ 
tion respecting the original inhabitants of Britain has been 
obtained from ancient tradition. 

The Britons were thus called from Brutus: Brutus was 
the son of Hisicion ; Hisicion was the son of Alanus; Ala- 
nus was the son of Rhea Silvia ; Rhea Silvia was the daugh¬ 
ter of Numa Pompilius; Numa was the son of Ascanius; 
Ascanius of Eneas; Eneas of Anchises; Anchises of Troius; 
lroius of Dardanus; Dardanus of Flisa; Flisa of Juuin; 
Juuin of Jafeth; but Jafeth had seven sons ; from the first, 
named Gomer, descended the Galli; from the second, Ma¬ 
gog, the Scythi and Gothi; from the third, Madian, the 
Medi; from the fourth, Juuan, the Greeks ; from the fifth, 
Tubal, arose the Hebrei, Hispani, and Itali; from the sixth, 
Mosoch, sprung the Cappacloces; and from the seventh, 
named Tiras, descended the Traces: these are the sons of 
Jafeth, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech. 

The Romans having obtained the dominion of the world, 
sent legates or deputies to the Britons to demand of them 
hostages and tribute, which they received from all other 
countries and islands; but they, fierce, disdainful, and 
haughty, treated the legation with contempt. 

Then Julius Csesar, the first who had acquired absolute 
power at Rome, highly incensed against the Britons, sailed 
with sixty vessels to the mouth of the Thames, where they 
suffered shipwreck while he fought at Deal (the proconsul 
of the British king, who was called Belinus, and who was 
the son of Minocannus who governed all the islands of the 
Tyrrhene Sea), and thus Julius Csesar returned home 
without victory, having had his soldiers slain, and his ships 
shattered. 

But after three years he again appeared with a large 
army, and three hundred ships, at the mouth of the Thames, 
where he renewed hostilities. In this attempt many of his 


14 


HISTORY OF THE 


soldiers and horses were killed; for the same consul had 
placed iron pikes in the shallow part of the river, and this 
having been effected with so much skill and secrecy as to 
escape the notice of the Roman soldiers, did them consider ¬ 
able injury ; thus Caesar was once more compelled to return 
without peace or victory. The Romans were, therefore, a 
third time sent against the Britons; and under the com- 
mand of Julius, defeated them near a place called Trino- 
vantum, forty-seven years before the birth of Christ, and 
five thousand two hundred and twelve years from the 
Creation. 

Julius was the first exercising supreme power over the 
Romans who invaded Britain: in honour of him, the 
Romans decreed the fifth month to be called after his name. 
He was assassinated in the Curia, in the Ides of March, 
and Octavius Augustus succeeded to the empire of the 
world. He was the only emperor who received tribute 
from the Britons, according to the following verse of Virgil: 

“ Purpurea intexti tollunt aulaea Britanni.” 

The second after him, who came into Britain, was the 
Emperor Claudius, who reigned forty-seven years after the 
birth of Christ. He carried with him war and devastation; 
and, though not without loss of men, he at length conquered 
Britain. He next sailed to the Orkneys, which he likewise 
conquered, and afterwards rendered tributary. No tribute 
was in his time received from the Britains; but it was paid 
to British emperors. He reigned thirteen years and eight 
months. His monument is to be seen at Moguntia (among 
the Lombards), where he died in his way to Rome. 

After the birth of Christ, one hundred and sixty-seven 
years, king Lucius, with all the chiefs of the British people, 
received baptism, in consequence of a legation sent by the 
Roman Emperors and Pope Euaristus, (or Eucharistus.) 


ANCIENT BRITONS. 


15 


Severus was the third emperor who passed the sea to 
Britain, where, to protect the provinces recovered from 
barbaric incursions, he ordered a wall and a rampart to be 
made between the Britons, the Scots, and the Piets, ex¬ 
tending across the island from sea to sea, in length one 
hundred and thirty-three miles: and it is called in the 
British language, Guual. Moreover, he ordered it to be 
made between the Britons, and the Piets and Scots; for the 
Scots from the west, and the Piets from the north, unani¬ 
mously made war against the Britons; but were at peace 
among themselves. Not long afterwards Severus died in 
Britain. 

The fourth was the emperor and tyrant, Caritius, who 
incensed at the murder of Severus, passed into Britain, 
and attended by the leaders of the Roman people, severely 
avenged upon the chiefs and rulers of the Britons, the cause 
of Severus. 

The fifth was Constantius, the son of Constantine the 
Great. He died in Britain; his sepulchre, as it appears 
by the inscription on his tomb, is still seen near the city 
named Cair segeint.* Upon the pavement of the above- 
mentioned city he sowed three seeds of gold, silver, and 
brass, that no poor person might ever be found in it. It is 
also called Minmanton. 

Maximus was the sixth emperor that ruled in Britain. 
It was in his time that consuls began, and that the appel¬ 
lation of Caesar was discontinued: at this period, also, St. 
Martin became celebrated for his virtues and miracles, and 
held a conversation with him. 

The seventh emperor was Maximianus. He withdrew 
from Britain with all its military force, slew Gratianus, the 
king of the Romans, and obtained the sovereignty of all 


* Silchester, see p. 6. 


16 


HISTORY OF THE 


Europe. Unwilling to send back his warlike companions 
to their wives, children, and possessions in Britain, he con¬ 
ferred upon them numerous districts from the lake on the 
summit of Mons jovis, to the city called Cant Guic, and to 
the western Tumulus, that is, to Cruc Occident. These 
are the Armoric Britons, and their descendants remain 
there to the present day. In consequence of their absence, 
Britain being overcome by foreign nations, the lawful heirs 
were cast out, till God interposed with his assistance. We 
are informed by the tradition of our ancestors that seven 
emperors went into Britain, though the Romans affirm 
there were nine. 

The eighth was another Severus, who lived occasionally 
in Britain, and sometimes at Rome, where he died. 

The ninth was Constantius, who reigned sixteen years in 
Britain, and, according to report, was treacherously mur¬ 
dered in the seventeenth year of his reign. 

Thus, agreeably to the account given by the Britons, 
the Romans governed them four hundred and nine years. 

After this, the Britons despised the authority of the 
Romans, equally refusing to pay them tribute, or to receive 
their kings; nor durst the Romans any longer attempt the 
government of a country, the natives of which massacred 
their deputies. 

We must now return to the tyrant Maximian. Gratian, 
with his brother Valentinian, reigned seven years. Am¬ 
brose, bishop of Milan, was then eminent for his skill in 
the dogmata of the Catholics. Valentinianus and Theo¬ 
dosius reigned eight years. At that time a synod was held 
at Constantinople, attended by three hundred and fifty of 
the fathers, and in which all heresies were condemned. 
Jerom, the Presbyter of Bethlehem, was then universally 
celebrated. Whilst Gratian exercised supreme dominion 
over the world, Maximus, in a sedition of the soldiers, was 


ANCIENT BRITONS. 


17 


saluted emperor in Britain, and soon after crossed the sea 
to Gaul. At Paris, by the treachery of Merobaudes, his 
master of the horse, Gratian was defeated, and flying to 
Lyons, was taken and put to death; Maximus afterwards 
associated his son Victor in the government. 

Martin, distinguished for his great virtues, was at this 
period Bishop of Tours. After a considerable space of time 
Maximus was divested of royal power by the consuls Va- 
lentinianus and Theodosius, and sentenced to be beheaded: 
(some manuscripts add f at the third mile-stone from Aqui- 
lea.’) In the same year also his son Victor was killed in 
Gaul by Argobustes, five thousand six hundred and ninety 
years from the creation of the world. 

Thrice were the Roman deputies put to death by the 
Britons, and yet these, when harassed by the incursions of 
the barbarous nations, viz. of the Scots and Piets, earnestly 
solicited the aid of the Romans. To give effect to their 
entreaties, ambassadors were sent, who made their entrance 
with impressions of deep sorrow, having their heads covered 
with dust, and carrying rich presents, to expiate the mur¬ 
der of the deputies. They were favourably received by the 
consuls, and swore submission to the Roman yoke, with 
whatever severity it might be imposed. 

The Romans, therefore, came with a powerful army to 
the assistance of the Britons: and having appointed over 
them a ruler, and settled the government, returned to 
Rome: and this took place alternately during the space of 
three hundred and forty-eight years. The Britons, how¬ 
ever, from the oppression of the empire, again massacred 
the Roman deputies, and again petitioned for succour. 
Once more the Romans undertook the government of the 
Britons, and assisted them in repelling their neighbours ; 
and, after having exhausted the country of its gold, silver, 
brass, honey, and costly vestments, and having besides re- 


e 


18 


HTSTOKY OF THE 


ceived rich gifts, they returned in great triumph to Rome'. 
After the above-mentioned war between the Britons and 
Romans, the assassination of their rulers, and the victory of 
Maximianus, who slew Gratian, and the termination of the 
Roman power in Britain, they were in alarm forty years. 

Vortigern then reigned in Britain. In his time, the 
natives had cause of dread, not only from the inroads of 
the Scots and Piets, but also from the Romans, and their 
apprehensions of Ambrosius. 

In the mean time, three vessels, exiled from Germany, 
arrived in Britain. They were commanded by Hors and 
Henegest, brothers, and sons of Guictglis. Guictglis was 
the son of Guicta; Guicta of Guechta; Guechta of Yuoden;• 
Vuoden of Frealof; Frealof of Fredulf; Fredulf of Finn; 
Finn of Folegauld; Folegauld of Geta, who, as they say, 
was the son of a god, not of the omnipotent God and our 
Lord Jesus Christ (who before the beginning of the world 
was with the Father and the Holy Spirit, co-eternal and of 
the same substance, and who, in compassion to human na¬ 
ture, disdained not to assume the form of a servant), but 
the offspring of one of their idols, and whom, blinded by 
some demon, they worshipped according to the custom of 
the heathen. Vortigern received them as friends, and de¬ 
livered up to them the island which is in their language 
called Tanet, and, by the Britons, Roihin. Gratianus 
jEquantius at that time reigned in Rome. The Saxons 
were received by Vortigern, four hundred and forty-seven 
years after the passion of Christ, and “ according to the 
tradition of our ancestors,” from the period of their first 
arrival in Britain, to the first year of the reign of king Ed¬ 
mund, five hundred and forty-two years. 

At that time St. Germanus, distinguished by numerous 
virtues, came to preach in Britain: by his ministry many 
were saved; but many likewise died unconverted. 


ANCIENT BRITONS. 


19 


Of the various miracles performed by him, a few only 
arc here mentioned: the first is concerning an iniquitous 
and tyrannical king, named Belinus. The holy man, in¬ 
formed of his wicked conduct, hastened to visit him, for 
the purpose of remonstrating with him. When the man 
of God, with his attendants, arrived at the gate of the city, 
they were respectfully received by the keeper of it, who 
came out and saluted them. Him they commissioned to 
communicate their intention to the king, who returned a 
harsh answer, declaring, with an oath, that although they 
remained there a year, they should not enter the city. 
While waiting for an answer, the evening came on, and 
they knew not where to go. At length, came one of the 
king’s servants, who bowing himself before the man of God, 
announced the words of the tyrant, inviting them, at the 
same time, to his own house, to which they went, and were 
kindly received. It happened, however, that he had no 
cattle, except one cow and a calf, the latter of which, urged 
by generous hospitality to his guests, he killed, dressed, 
and set before them. But holy St. Germanus ordered his 
companions not to break a bone of the calf; and, the next 
morning, it was found alive uninjured, and standing by its 
mother. 

Early the same day, they again went to the gate of the 
city, to solicit audience of the wicked king; and, whilst en¬ 
gaged in fervent prayer they were waiting for admission, a 
man, covered with sweat, came out, and prostrated himself 
before them. Then St. Germanus addressing him, said: 
“ Dost thou believe in the Holy Trinity ? ” To which the 
man having replied, “ I do believe,” he baptized, and then 
kissed him, saying, “ Go in peace; within this hour thou 
shalt die: the angels of God are waiting for thee in the 
air; with them thou shalt ascend to that God in whom thou 
hast believed.” He, overjoyed, entered the city, and being 


20 


HISTORY OF THE 


met by the Prefect, was seized, bound, and conducted be¬ 
fore the tyrant, who having passed sentence upon him, he 
was immediately put to death; for it was a law of this 
wicked king, that whoever was not at his labour before sun¬ 
rising should be beheaded in the citadel. In the meantime, 
St. Germanus, with his attendants, waited the whole day 
before the gate, without obtaining an admission to the 
tyrant. 

The man above-mentioned, however, remained with them. 
“ Take care,” said St. Germanus to him, “ that none of your 
friends remain this night within these walls.” Upon this, 
he hastily entered the city, brought out his nine sons, and 
with them retired to the house where he had exercised such 
generous hospitality. Here St. Germanus ordered them 
to continue, fasting ; and when the gates were shut, 
“ Watch,” said he, “ and whatever shall happen in the 
citadel, turn not thither your eyes ; but pray without ceas¬ 
ing, and invoke the protection of the true God.” And be¬ 
hold, early in the night, fire fell from heaven, and burnt 
the city, together with all those who were with the tyrant, 
so that not one escaped ; and that citadel has never been 
rebuilt. 

The following day, the hospitable man who had been 
converted by the preaching of St. Germanus, was baptized, 
with his sons, and all the inhabitants of that part of the 
country; and St. Germanus blessed him, saying, “a king 
shall not be wanting of thy seed for ever.” The name of 
this person was Catel Drunluc: “ from henceforward thou 
shalt be a king all the days of thy life.” Thus was fulfilled 
the prophecy of the Psalmist —“ He raiseth up the poor 
out of the dust, and lifteth up the needy out of the dung¬ 
hill.” And agreeably to the prediction of St. Germanus, 
from a servant he became a king : all his sons were kings, 
and from their offspring the whole country of Powys was 
governed many years. 


ANCIENT BRITONS. 


21 


After the Saxons hacl continued some time in the island 
of Tanet, Vortigern promised to supply them with clothing 
and provision, on condition they would engage to fight 
against the enemies of his country. But the barbarians 
having greatly increased in number, the Britons became 
incapable of fulfilling their engagement; and when the 
Saxons, according to the promise they had received, claimed 
a supply of provisions and clothing, the Britons replied,— 
“ Your number is increased : your assistance is now un¬ 
necessary ; you may, therefore, return home, for we can no 
longer support you : ” and hereupon they began to devise 
means of breaking the peace between them. 

But Hengist, in wffiom united craft and penetration, per¬ 
ceiving he had to act with an ignorant king, and a fluctu¬ 
ating people, incapable of opposing much resistance, replied 
to Vortigern, “We are, indeed, few in number ; but, if 
you will give us leave, we will send to our country for an 
additional number of forces, with whom we will fight for 
you and your subjects.” Vortigern assenting to this pro¬ 
posal, messengers were dispatched to Scythia, where se¬ 
lecting a number of warlike troops, they returned with six¬ 
teen vessels, bringing with them the beautiful daughter of 
Hengist. And now the Saxon chief prepared an enter¬ 
tainment, to which he invited the king, his officers, and 
Cere tic, his interpreter, having previously enjoined his 
daughter to serve them so profusely with wine and ale, that 
they might soon become intoxicated. This plan succeeded; 
and Vortigern, at the instigation of the devil, and enam¬ 
oured with the beauty of the damsel, demanded her, through 
the medium of his interpreter, of the father, promising to 
give for her whatever he should ask. Then Hengist, who 
had already consulted with the elders who attended him of 
the Oghgul race, demanded for his daughter the province 
called in English, Centland, in British, Ceint. This cession 


HISTORY OF THE 



was made without the knowledge of the regulus, who then 
reigned in Kent, and who experienced no inconsiderable 
share of grief, from seeing his kingdom thus clandestinely, 
fraudulently, and imprudently resigned to foreigners. Thus 
the maid was delivered up to the king, who slept with her, 
and loved her exceedingly. 

Hengist, after this, said to Vortigern, “ I will be to you 
both a father and an adviser ; despise not my counsels, and 
you shall have no reason to fear being conquered by any 
man or any nation whatever; for the people of my country 
are strong, warlike, and robust: if you approve, I will send 
for my son and his brother, both valiant men, who at my 
invitation will fight against the Scots, and you can give 
them the countries in the north, near the wall called Guaul.” 
The incautious sovereign having assented to this, Octha 
and Ebissa arrived with forty ships. In these they sailed 
round the country of the Piets, laid waste the Orkneys, and 
took possession of many regions, even to the Pictish con¬ 
fines. 

But Hengist continued, by degrees, sending for ships 
from his own country ; so that some islands whence they 
came were left without inhabitants ; and whilst his people 
were increasing in power and number, they came to the 
above-named province of Kent. 

In the meantime, Vortigern, as if desirous of adding to 
the evils he had already occasioned, married his own daugh¬ 
ter, by whom he had a son. When this was made known 
to St. Germanus, he came, with all the British clergy, to 
reprove him; and whilst a numerous assembly of the ec¬ 
clesiastics and laity were in consultation, the weak king 
ordered his daughter to appear before them, and in the 
presence of all to present her son to St. Germanus, and de¬ 
clare that he was the father of the child. The immodest 
woman obeyed; and St. Germanus taking the child, said. 


ANCIENT BRITONS. 


23 


“ I w iH be a lather to you, my son; nor will I dismiss you 
till a razor, scissors, and comb, are given to me, and it is 
allowed you to give them to your carnal father.” The 
child obeyed St. Germanus, and going to his father, Vorti- 
gern, said to him, “ Thou art my father, shave, and cut the 
hair of my head.” 

The king blushed, and was silent; and, without replying 
to the child, arose in great anger, and fled from the pre¬ 
sence of St. Germanus, execrated and condemned by the 
whole synod. 

But soon after calling together his twelve wise men, to 
consult what was to be done, they said to him, “ Retire to 
the remotest bounds of your kingdom; there build and 
fortify a city to defend yourself, for the people you have 
received are treacherous; they are seeking to subdue you 
by stratagem, and, even during your life, to seize upon all 
the countries subject to your power, how much more will 
they attempt after your death! ” The king, pleased with 
this advice, departed with his wise men, and travelled 
through many parts of his territories, in search of a place 
convenient for the purpose of building a citadel. Having, 
to no purpose, travelled far and wide, they came at length 
to a province called Guenet; and having surveyed the 
mountains of Heremus,* they discovered, on the summit of 
one of them, a situation adapted to the construction of a 
citadel. Upon this, the wise men said to the king, “ Build 
here a city; for, in this plaee, it will ever be secure against 
the barbarians.” Then the king sent for artificers, carpen¬ 
ters, stone-masons, and collected all the materials requisite 
for building; but the whole of these disappeared in one 
night, so that nothing remained of what had been provided 
for the constructing of the citadel. Materials were, there- 


* Supposed to be Snowdon. 


24 


HISTORY OF THE 


fore, from all parts, procured a second and third time, and 
again vanished as before, leaving and rendering every effort 
ineffectual. Vortigern inquired of his wise men the cause 
of this opposition to his undertaking, and of so much use¬ 
less expense of labour ? They replied, “ You must find 
a child born without a father, put him to death, and then 
sprinkle with his blood the ground on which the citadel 
is to be built, or you will never accomplish your purpose.” 

In consequence of this reply, the king sent messengers 
throughout Britain, in search of a child born without a fa¬ 
ther. After having inquired in all the provinces, they 
came to the field of -/Electi, in the district of Glevesing,* 
where a party of boys were playing at ball. And two of 
them quarreling, one said to the other, “ 0 boy without a 
father, no good will ever happen to you.” Upon this, the 
messengers diligently inquired of the mother and the other 
boys, whether he had had a father ? Which his mother 
denied, saying, “ In what manner he was conceived I know 
not, for I have never had intercourse with any man; ” and 
then she solemnly affirmed that he had no mortal father. 
The boy was, therefore, led away, and conducted before 
Vortigern the king. 

A meeting took place the next day, for the purpose of 
putting him to death. Then the boy said to the king, 
“ Why have your servants brought me hither ? ” “ That 

you may be put to death,” replied the king, “ and that the 
ground on which my citadel is to stand may be sprinkled 
with your blood, without which I shall be unable to build 
it.” “ Who,” said the boy, “ instructed you to do this ? ” 
“ My wise men,” answered the king. “ Order them hi¬ 
ther,” returned the boy; this being complied with, he thus 
questioned them: “ By what means was it revealed to you 


* Supposed to be Bassalig in Monmouthshire. 


ANCIENT BRITONS. 


25 

that this citadel could not be built, unless the spot were 
were previously sprinkled with my blood ? Speak without 
disguise, and declare who discovered me to you: ” then 
turning to the king, “ I will soon, 5 ’ said he, “unfold to you 
every thing; but I desire to question your wise men, and 
wish them to disclose to you what is hidden under this 
pavement: ” they acknowledging their ignorance, “ there 
is,” said he, “ a pool ; come and dig : ” they did so, and 
found the pool. “ Now,” continued he, “ tell me what is 
in it ;” but they were ashamed, and made no reply. “ I,” 
said the boy, can discover it to you: there are two vases 
in the pool; ” they examined, and found it so: continuing 
his questions, “ What is in the vases ? ” they were silent: 
“ there is a tent in them,” said the boy; separate them, 
and you shall find it so: ” this being done by the king’s 
command, there was found in them a folded tent. The boy, 
going on with his questions, asked the wise men what was 
in it? But they not knowing what to reply, “There are,” 
said he, “ two serpents, one white, and the other red; un¬ 
fold the tent: ” they obeyed, and two sleeping serpents 
were discovered: “ consider attentively,” said the boy, 
what they are doing.” The serpents began to struggle 
with each other ; and the white one, raising himself up, 
threw down the other into the middle of the tent, and 
sometimes drove him to the edge of it; and this was re¬ 
peated thrice. At length the red one, apparently the 
weaker of the two, recovering his strength, expelled the 
white one from the tent; and the latter being pursued 
through the pool by the red one, disappeared. Then the 
boy, asking the wise men what was signified by this won¬ 
derful omen, and they expressing their ignorance, he said 
to the king, “ I will now unfold to you the meaning of this 
mystery. The pool is the emblem of this world, and the 
tent that of your kingdom : the two serpents are two dra- 


£6 


HISTORY OF THE 


gons; the red serpent is your dragon, but the white ser¬ 
pent is the dragon of the people who occupy several pro¬ 
vinces and districts of Britain, even almost from sea to sea r 
at length, however, our people shall rise and drive away 
the Saxon race from beyond the sea, whence they originally 
came; but do you depart from this place, where you are 
not permitted to erect a citadel; I, to whom fate has al¬ 
lotted this mansion, shall remain here; whilst to you it is 
incumbent to seek other provinces, where you may build a 
fortress.” “ What is your name ? ” asked the king ; “ I 
am called Ambros (in British Embresguletic),” returned 
the boy; and in answer to the king’s question, Cf What is 
your origin? ” he replied, “ A Roman consul was my 
father.” 

Then the king assigned him that city, with all the west¬ 
ern provinces of Britain ; and departing with his wise men 
to the sinistra! district, he arrived in the region named 
Gueneri, where he built a city, which, according to his 
name, was called Cair Guorthegirn. 

At length Guorthemer, the son of Vortimer, valiantly 
fought against Hengist, Horsa, and his people; drove them 
to the isle of Tanet, and thrice enclosed them within it,, 
and beset them on the western side. 

The Saxons now dispatched deputies to Germany to so- 
licit large reinforcements, and an additional number of 
ships : having obtained these, they fought against the kings 
and princes of Britain, and sometimes they extended their 
boundaries by victory, and sometimes were conquered and 
driven back. 

Four times did Guorthemer valorously encounter the 
enemy : the first has been mentioned; the second was upon 
the river Derwent; the third at the Ford, in their lan¬ 
guage called Episford, though in the British Set thirgabail, 
in which Horsus fell, and Catigirn, the son ofVortigern; 


ANCIENT BRITONS. 


m 

tlie fourth battle he fought, was near the stone on the shore 
of the Gallic Sea,* where the Saxons being defeated, fled 
to their ships. 

After a short interval Guorthemer died ; before his de¬ 
cease, anxious for the future prosperity of his country, he 
charged his friends to inter his body at the entrance of the 
Saxon port, viz. upon the rock where the Saxons at first 
landed; “ for though,” said he, “ they may inhabit other 
parts of Britain, yet if you follow my commands, they will 
never remain in this island.” They imprudently disobeyed 
this last injunction, and neglected to bury him where he 
had appointed. 

After this, the barbarians became firmly incorporated, 
and were assisted by foreign pagans: for Vortigern was 
their friend, on account of the daughter of Hengist, whom 
he so much loved, that no one durst fight against him—in 
the mean time they soothed the imprudent king, and whilst 
practising every appearance of fondness, were plotting with 
his enemies. And let him that reads understand, that the 
Saxons were victorious, and ruled Britain, not from their 
superior prowess, but on account of the great sins of the 
Britons. 

After the death of Vortimer, Hengist being strengthened 
by new accessions, collected his ships, and calling his 
leaders together, consulted by what stratagem they might 
overcome T , ortigern and his army ; with insidious intention 
they sent messengers to the king, with offers of peace and 
perpetual friendship; unsuspicious of treachery, the mon¬ 
arch, after advising with his elders, accepted their base 
proposals. 

Hengist, under pretence of ratifying the treaty, prepared 
an entertainment, to which he invited the king, the nobles, 


* ‘ The stone of Titulus,’ thought to be Stonar in Kent. 


28 


HISTORY OF THE 


and military officers, in number about three hundred; 
speciously concealing his wicked intention, he ordered three 
hundred Saxons to conceal each a knife under his feet, and 
to mix with the Britons; ct and when,” said he, “ they are 
sufficiently inebriated, &c. cry out ‘ Nimader sexci ,’ then 
let each draw his knife, and kill his man; but spare the 
king, on account of his marriage with my daughter, for it 
is better that he should be ransomed than killed.” 

The king, with his company, appeared at the feast; and 
mixing with the Saxons, who, whilst they spoke peace with 
their tongues, cherished treachery in their hearts, each man 
was placed next his enemy. 

After they had eaten and drunk, and were much intoxi¬ 
cated, Hengist suddenly vociferated, “ Nimader sexa! ” and 
instantly his adherents drew their knives, and rushing upon 
the Britons, each slew him that sat next to him, and there 
were slain three hundred of the nobles of Vortigern. The 
king being a captive, purchased his redemption, by de¬ 
livering up the three provines of East, South, and Middle 
Sex, besides other districts at the option of his betrayers. 

St. Gennanus admonished Vortigern in future to ab¬ 
stain from all unlawful intercourse with his daughter; 
but the unhappy wretch fled for refuge to the province 
Gurthegoirnaim, which was so called from his own name, 
where he concealed himself with his wives: but St. Ger- 
manus followed him with all the British clergy, and upon 
a rock prayed for his sins during forty days and forty 
nights. 

St. Germanus was unanimously chosen commander 
against the Saxons. And then, not by the clang of trum¬ 
pets, but by praying, singing hallelujah, and by the cries 
of the army to God, the enemies were routed, and driven 
even to the sea. 


ANCIENT BRITONS. 


29 


Again A ortigern ignominiously flew from St. Germanus 
to the kingdom of the Dimetee, where, on the river Tivis, 
he built a castle, which he named Cair Guothergirn. The 
saint, as usual, followed him there, and with his clergy 
fasted and prayed to the Lord three days, and as many 
nights. On the third night, at the third hour, fire sud¬ 
denly came from heaven, and burnt the castle. Vortigern, 
the daughter of Hengist, his other wives, and all the in¬ 
habitants, both men and women, miserably perished: such 
was the end of this unhappy king. 

Some writers say, that being hated by all the people of 
Britain, for having received the Saxons, and being publicly 
charged by St. Germanus and the clergy in the sight of 
God, he betook himself to flight; and that, deserted and a 
wanderer, he sought a place of refuge, till broken-hearted, 
he made an ignominious end. 

Some accounts state, that the earth opened and swallowed 
him up, on the night his castle was burnt; as no remains 
were discovered the following morning, either of him, or of 
those who were burnt with him. 

He had three sons: the eldest was Vorlimer, who, as is 
before mentioned, fought four times against the Saxons, and 
put them to flight ; the second Cathegirn, who was slain 
in the same battle with Horsus; the third was Pascent, who 
reigned in the two provinces Buelt and Guoithegirnaim, 
after the death of his father. These were granted him by 
Ambrosius, who was the great king among the kings of 
Britain. The fourth was Faustus, born of an incestuous 
marriage with his daughter, who was brought up and edu¬ 
cated by St. Germanus. He built a large monastery on the 
banks of the river Penis, called after his name, and which 
stood for many years. 

This is the genealogy of Vortigern, which goes back to 
Fernmail, who reigned in the kingdom of Guoithegirnaim, 


HISTORY OF THE 


3‘0 

and was the son of Teudor; Teudor was the son of Pas- 
cent; Pascent of Guoidcant; Guoidcant of Moriud; Mo* 
riud of Eltat; Eltat of Eldoc; Eldoc of Paul; Paul of Meu- 
prit; Meuprit of Braciat; Braciat of Pascent; Pascent of 
Guorthegirn; Guorthegirn of Guortheneu; Guortheneu of 
Guitaul; Guitaul of Guitolion; Guitolion of Gloiuda; Glo- 
iuda of Paulmerion, who built Gloiuda, a great city upon 
the banks of the river Severn, and in British called Cair 
Gloui, in Saxon, Gloucester . Enough has now been said 
of Vortigern. 

St. Germanus, after his death, returned into his own 
country. 

At that time, the Saxons greatly increased in Britain, 
both in strength and numbers. And Octha, after the death 
of his father Hengist, came from the sinistral part of the 
island to the kingdom of Kent, and from him proceeded 
all the kings of that province. 

Then it wa§ that the magnanimous Arthur, with all the 
kings and military force of Britain, fought against the 
Saxons. And though there were many more noble than 
himself, yet he was twelve times chosen their commander, 
and was ofton conqueror. The first battle in which he was 
engaged, was the mouth of the river Glein. The second, 
third, fourth, and fifth, were on another river, called by 
the Britons Duglas, in the region Linnuis. The sixth, on 
the river Lussas. The seventh in the wood Celidon, which 
the Britons called Cacoit Celidon. The eighth was near 
Guinnion Castle, where Arthur bore the image of the 
Virgin Mary upon his shoulders, and there put the Saxons to 
flight, pursuing them the whole day with great slaughter. 
The ninth was at the city of Leogis, which is called Cair 
Lion. The tenth was on the banks of the river Trat Treu- 
roit. The eleventh was on the mountain Breguoin, which 
we call Cat Bregion. The twelfth was a most severe con- 


ANCIENT BRITONS. 


21 


test, when Arthur penetrated to the hill of Badon. In this 
engagement, tradition states, nine hundred and forty fell by 
his hand alone. In all these engagements the Britons were 
successful. 

The more the Saxons were vanquished, the more they 
sought for new supplies of Saxons from Germany ; so that 
kings, commanders, and military bands were invited over 
from almost every province. And this practice they con¬ 
tinued till the reign of Ida, who was the son of Eobba, he, 
of the Saxon race, was the first king in Berneeh, and in 
Cair Affrauc. 

When Gratian JEquantius was consul in Rome, because 
then the whole world was governed by the Roman consuls, 
the Saxons were received by Vortigern in the year of our 
Lord four hundred and forty-seven, and for a century af¬ 
terwards. 

In those days Saint Patrick was a captive among the 
Scots. His master’s name was Milchu, to whom he was 
a swineherd for seven years. When he had attained the 
age of seventeen, he gave him his liberty. He applied 
himself to reading the Scriptures, and afterwards went 
to Rome, where he pursued his studies for a long period. 
During his continuance there, Palladius, the first bishop, 
was sent by Pope Celestinus to convert the Scots : but 
violent tempests prevented his landing; altering there¬ 
fore his course from Ireland, he came to Britain, and died 
in the land of the Piets. 

The death of Palladius being known, the Roman patri¬ 
cians, Theodosius and Yalentinianus, then reigning, Pope 
Celestinus sent Patrick to convert the Scots to the faith of 
the Holy Trinity ; Victor accompanying, admonishing, and 
assisting him, and also the Bishop Germanus. 

Germanus then sent the ancient Sergerus with him as a 
venerable and praiseworthy bishop, to King Matheus, who 


HISTORY OF THE 


32 

lived near, and who had prescience of what was to happen ; 
he was consecrated bishop in the reign of that king by the 
holy pontiff, assuming the name of Patrick, having hitherto 
been known by that of Mauun; Auxilius, Iserninus, and 
other brothers were ordained with him to inferior degrees. 

Having distributed benedictions, he embarked on the 
sea between the Gauls and the Britons; and after a quick 
passage arrived in Britain, where he preached for some 
time. Every necessary preparation being made, and the 
angel giving him warning, he came to the Irish Sea. And 
having filled the ship with foreign gifts and spiritual trea¬ 
sures, he at length arrived in Ireland, where he baptized 
and preached. 

From the beginning of the world, to the fifth year of 

>v 

King Logiore, when the Irish were baptized, and faith in 
the unity of the individual Trinity was published to them, 
are five thousand three hundred and thirty years. 

Saint Patrick taught the gospel in foreign nations for the 
space of forty years. It is said, that he gave sight to the 
blind, cleansed the lepers, gave hearing to the deaf, cast 
out devils, raised nine from the dead, redeemed many cap¬ 
tives at his own charge, and set them free. He also 
wrote three hundred and sixty-five canonical and other 
books relating to the Catholic Faith. He founded as many 
churches, and consecrated the same number of bishops. 
He ordained three thousand Presbyters; and converted 
and baptized twelve thousand persons in the province of 
Connaught. And, in one day baptized seven kings, who 
were the seven sons of Amolgith. He also continued 
fasting forty days and forty nights, upon the summit 
of the mountain Eli, that is, Cruachangeli; and preferred 
three petitions to God for the Irish, that had embraced the 
faith. The Scots say, the first was, that he would receive 
every repenting sinner, even at the latest extremity of life; 


ANCIENT BRITONS. 


33 


the second, that they should never be exterminated by 
barbarians; and the third, that as Ireland would be over¬ 
flowed with water, seven years before the coming of our 
Lord to judge the quick and the dead, the crimes of the 
people might be washed away through his intercession, and 
their souls purified at the last day. He gave the people 
his benediction from the upper part of the mountain, and 
going up higher, that he might pray for them, and that he 
might see the effects of his labours, the legend adds, that 
there appeared to him an innumerable flock of birds, of 
many colours, signifying the number of holy persons of 
both sexes of the Irish nation, who should come to him as 
their apostle at the day of judgment, to be presented before 
the tribunal of Christ. After a life spent in active exertion 
for the good of mankind, Saint Patrick died in a healthy 
old age. 

His life resembled that of Moses in four particulars. The 
angel spoke to him in the burning bush. Pie fasted forty 
days and forty nights upon the mountain. He attained the 
period of one hundred and twenty years. No one knows 
his sepulchre, nor where he was buried; sixteen years he 
was in captivity. In his twenty-fifth year, he was conse¬ 
crated bishop by King Matheus, and he was for eighty-five 
years the apostle of the Irish. 


The traditionary accounts which are given by numerous 
authors on the subject of the origin of the Britons, are ex¬ 
tremely vague, uncertain, suspicious, and fabulous, which 
many men of great genius and philological learning have 
laboured to ascertain, by comparing the language, manners, 
and religion, with those of all the inhabitants of the neigh- 


E 



HTSTOBY OF THE 


bouring countries : in such a field for speculation, it may 
be expected that a variety of opinions had been formed; 
but they generally agree that Britain, Ireland, and France, 
were peopled by the same race of men, to whom they gave 
the denomination of Celtce , or Celtes. Some authors, how¬ 
ever are of opinion that they were descended from Gome r, 
the eldest son of Japhet the son of Noah , and that Comer 
settled in the province of Phrygia in Asia; Ashkenaz, the 
eldest son of Togarmah, his youngest son, or both, in Ar¬ 
menia ; and Bephath, the second son, in Cappadocia. 
When they spread themselves wider, they seem to have 
moved regularly in columns, without interfering with or 
disturbing their neighbours. The descendants of Gomel*, 
or the Celtae, took the left hand, insensibly spreading them¬ 
selves westward, towards Poland, Hungary, Germany, 
France, and Spain; while the descendants of Magog, Go- 
mer’s brother, moving eastward, peopled Hungary. 

In this extensive European tract, the Celtes began to 
appear a powerful nation, under a regular monarchy, or 
rather, under several considerable kingdoms : and it has 
been admitted that the inhabitants of all the British Islands 
were originally Celtce, which brings into a narrow compass 
the long agitated dispute concerning the extraction of the 
Scots. Many antiquaries* contend they were Caledonians, 
while others, followed by many learned men, are inclined 
to consider them as descendants of the Irish.f Between 
these two different opinions, a middle course has been 
taken : the Scots, it is said, were originally descended from 
the Britons of the South, or from Caledonians, who being 
pressed forward by new colonies from Gaul, till they came 
to the western shore of Britain, passed over from thence to 
Ireland, probably about 100 years before the Christian era. 


* 


According to Macpherson. f According to Whitaker. 


ANCIENT BRITONS. 


35 


About the year of Christ 320, they returned again into 
Britain, or at least a large colony of them, under the con¬ 
duct of Fergus, and settled on the western coasts of Cale¬ 
donia, from whence they had formerly migrated. As early 
as the year 340, they were associated with the Piets in 
their expeditions to the Roman province; and for 90 or 
100 years after, their ravages are frequently mentioned by 
the Roman and British historians. 

The territory of the ancient Scots, before the annexation 
of Pictama , comprehended all the side of Caledonia which 
lies along the north and western ocean, from the frith of 
Clyde to the Orkneys. Towards the east their dominions 
were divided from the Pictish territories by high moun¬ 
tains, which run from Dumbarton to the frith of Tain. In 
process of time the Scots, under the reign of Kenneth, the 
son of Alpin, became so powerful as to subdue entirely 
their neighbours the Piets, and gave their own denomina¬ 
tion to all Caledonia, Pictavia, and Valentia; all of which 
are still comprehended under the general name of Scot¬ 
land, 

England, including the principality of Wales, when first 
invaded by the Romans, was divided into seventeen petty 
states :— 

1. The Danmonii, called also Dunmonii and Donmonii, 
including the counties of Cornwall and Devonshire. 

2. The Devestriges, who inhabited the tract now called 
Dorsetshire. 

3. The Belgce possessed Somersetshire, Wiltshire, and 
Hampshire. 

4. The Attrebatii, or inhabitants of Berkshire. 

5. The Regni, whose country bordered on that of the 
Attrebatii, and comprehended Surrey, Sussex, and part of 
the sea coast of Hampshire. 

6. The Cantii, inhabiting the county now called Kent. 


36 


HISTORY OF THE 


7. The Dobuni were placed by Ptolemy on the north 
side of the Thames, near its head, in Gloucestershire and 
Oxfordshire. 

8. The Catteuchlani, Calyeuchlani, or Cattriludani, in¬ 
habited Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, and Hertford¬ 
shire. 

9. The Trinobantes, who possessed the counties of Es¬ 
sex and Middlesex. 

10. The Iceni, whose country comprehended Suffolk, 
Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, and Huntingdonshire ; these are 
by Ptolemy called Simeni, and by others Tigeni: Camden 
is of opinion that they were the same whom Ca3sar called 
Cenimagni. 

11. The Coritani, whose country comprehended North¬ 
amptonshire, Leicestershire, Rutlandshire, Nottingham¬ 
shire, and Derbyshire. 

12. The Cornavii possessed Warwickshire, Worcester ¬ 
shire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, and Cheshire. 

13. The Silures inhabited Radnorshire, Brecknockshire, 
Glamorganshire, with Herefordshire and Monmouthshire. 

14. The Demetae inhabited part of Carmarthenshire, 
Pembrokeshire, and Cardiganshire: the country of the 
Ordovices, comprehended Montgomeryshire, Merioneth¬ 
shire, Caernarvonshire, Denbighshire, and Flintshire. 

16. The Brigantes possessed Yorkshire, and the bishop¬ 
ric of Durham, Lancashire, Westmoreland, and Cumber¬ 
land. 

17. The county of Northumberland was held by the 
Ottadini. Ottadini or Ottalini, their country, according to 
some, reached from the Tyne to the river Forth; although 
the most common opinion is, that it reached only to the 
Tweed. 

The above names of these nations arc Roman, but the 
etymology of them is not easily ascertained. Some have 


ANCIENT BRITONS. 


37 


attempted to derive them from words in the old British 
language; but as this must be very obscure and uncertain, 
it will not be entered into. 

Caesar appears to have distinguished the Britons into two 
races of men, the Belgce and the original inhabitants. The 
interior part of Britain was, it appeared, inhabited by those 
whom they relate to have been the natives of the island 
itself: the maritime by those who, to obtain plunder, and 
prosecute their conquests, had passed over from among the 
Belgce , almost all of whom were called by the name of those 
states from which they migrated when they arrived in 
Britain, and having finished the war, remained there and 
began to cultivate the soil. The Belgic colonies were of 
more polished manners, than the inhabitants of the interior 
and northern parts of the island. The wars and animosities 
which arose between the new and old inhabitants, are said 
to have contributed more than any thing else to facilitate 
the victories of Cassar. 

The Britons at this time, according to the Homan his¬ 
torians, were very numerous, and had their country well 
stocked with cattle, their houses resembled those of the 
Gauls, and they used copper and iron plates weighed by 
the certain standard instead of money; their towns were a 
confused parcel of huts, placed at small distances from each 
other, generally in the middle of a wood, to which all the 
avenues were slightly guarded with ramparts of earth, or 
with trees. All the nations were in a most wretched state 
of barbarism, even when compared with the barbarous 
Gauls on the continent. 

The use of clothes was scarcely known in the island. 
Only the inhabitants of the northern coast covered their 
nakedness with the skins of beasts, and rather to avoid 
giving offence to the strangers who came to trade with them 
than out of any principle of decency. 


38 


HISTOKY OF THE 


It was a general custom among the Britons, to paint their 
bodies with the juice of woad;* but whether this was de¬ 
signed as an ornament, or for any other purpose, is not 
known; they shaved their beards, all except their upper 
lip, and wore long hair; they also had their wives in com¬ 
mon, a custom which made them detestable to all other 
nations. 

Their arms were a sword, a short lance, and a shield,— 
breastplates and helmets they considered rather to be in¬ 
cumbrances, and therefore made no use of them : they 
usually fought in chariots, some of which were armed with 
scythes attached to the wheels; they were fierce, cruel, and 
bloodthirsty. When driven to distress, they could subsist 
even on the bark and roots of trees; and they had ready 
on all occasions, a certain kind of food, of which if they 
took but the quantity of the size of a bean, they were not 
troubled with hunger or thirst for a considerable time after.f 
The southern nations were somewhat more civilized, and 
the Cantii, or inhabitants of Kent, more so than any of the 
others. 

All the British nations were at this time very brave and 
resolute, and very formidable enemies to the Romans; but 
the same dissentions which had taught them the art of war, 
also prevented them from uniting in the defence of their 
country. 

Notwithstanding all the barbarism of the ancient Britons, 
they were acquainted with commerce for several centuries 
before the Christian era. 

It is probable that the Britons, like the Gauls, consisted 
chiefly of three different ranks, the common people, the 
gentry, and the Druids. The common people were con¬ 
sidered in the place of servants, not daring to undertake 


* A sort of wood used by dyers, 
f According to Dio Cassius. 


ANCIENT BUTTONS. 


39 


anything of their own authority, and were not permitted to 
he present at any councils. Many of them, when they were 
oppressed, either wtth debts or the weight of taxes, or the 
injuries of the powerful, sold themselves into the service of 
the nobles, who possessed over them the same dominion as 
masters had over their servants. 

I he gentry or nobility were constantly trained to war ; 
and such of them as were the most distinguished for birth 
and riches, had the greatest number of followers and de¬ 
pendants. 

The Druids were the first and most distinguished order 
among the Gauls and Britons, chosen out of the best 
families; and the honours of their birth, joined with those 
of their functions, procured them the highest veneration 
among the people. They were well versed in astrology, 
geometry, natural philosophy, politics, and geometry ; and 
they were the interpreters of religion, and the judges of all 
affairs indifferently ; and whoever refused obedience to 
them, was declared impious and accursed. 

There is little known as to their peculiar doctrines, only 
that they believed in the immortality of the soul. 

The chief settlement of the Druids in Britain was the 
isle of Anglesey , the ancient Mona , which they might choose 
for this purpose, as it was well stored with spacious groves 
of their favourite oak. They were divided into several 
classes or branches, viz., the Vacerri, Bardi , Enbages, Se?n~ 
nothii , or Semnothei, and Saronidoe. 

The Vacerri were considered to be their priests, the Bardi 
the poets, the Enbages the augurers, and the Saronidoe the 
civil judges and instructors of youth. As to the Semnothei, 
who were said to be immediately devoted to the service of 
religion, it is therefore very probable that they were the 
same as the Vacerri. 


40 


HISTORY OF THE 


It has been said/ that the Druids were the same among 
the Britons with the Sophi or philosophers among the 
Greeks, the Magi among the Persians, the Gymnosopliists 
among the Indians, and the Chaldeans among the Assyrians. 

Their garments were remarkably long, and when em¬ 
ployed in religious ceremonies, they always wore a white 
surplice ; they generally carried a wand in their hands, and 
wore a sort of ornament, enchased in gold, about their 
necks, called the Druid’s egg; their necks were also de¬ 
corated with gold chains, and their hands and arms with 
bracelets ; they w r ore their hair very short, and their beards 
remarkably long. 

There was one chief or arch Druid in every nation, who 
acted as high-priest. He had absolute authority over the 
rest, and commanded, decreed, pardoned, and punished at 
pleasure. At his death he was succeeded by the most con¬ 
siderable among his survivors; and, if there were several 
pretenders, the matter was settled by an election, or by the 
decision of arms. 

The Druids were in the highest esteem : they presided 
at sacrifice, and other ceremonies, and had the direction of 
every thing relating to religion. The British and Gaulish 
youth flocked to them in crowds for instruction ; the 
children of the nobility retired with them into caves, or the 
most desolate parts of the forest, where they kept them 
sometimes for twenty years under their discipline. 

Besides the immortality and metempsychosis, they were 
here instructed in the motion of the heavens, and the course 
of the stars, the magnitude of the heavens and earth, the 
nature of things, the power and wisdom of God, &c.; and 
they preserved the memory and actions of great men in 
their verses, which they never allowed to be written down, 


* Diogenes Laertius. 


ANCIENT BRITONS. 


41 


but made their pupils get them by heart. In their common 
course of learning, they are said to have taught them 
twenty-four thousand such verses. By this means their 
doctrines appeared more mysterious, by being unknown to 
all but themselves ; and having no books to recur to, they 
were the more careful to fix them in their memory. 

They worshipped the Supreme Being under the name of 
Esus or lEsus, and the symbol of an oak, and had no 
other temple than a wood or grove of oaks, where all their 
religious rites were performed. Nor was any one permitted 
to enter that sacred recess, unless he carried with him a 
chain, in token of his absolute dependance on the Deity. 
Their whole religion originally consisted in acknowledging 
that the Supreme Being, who made his abode in these sa¬ 
cred groves, governed the universe, and that every creature 
ought to obey his laws, and pay him divine homage. They 
considered the oak as the emblem or rather the peculiar 
residence of the Almighty; and accordingly chaplets of it 
were worn both by the Druids and people in their religious 
ceremonies; the altars were strewed with its leaves, and 
encircled with its branches; the fruit of it, especially the 
misletoe, was thought to contain a divine virtue, and to be 
the peculiar gift of heaven. 

It was therefore sought for on the sixth day of the moon 
w T ith the greatest earnestness and anxiety ; and when found, 
was hailed with such raptures of joy as almost exceeds 
imagination to conceive. As soon as the Druids were in¬ 
formed of this fortunate discovery, they prepared every 
thing ready for the sacrifice under the oak, to which they 
fastened two white bulls by the horns : then the arch druid 
under the oak, attended by a great number of people, as¬ 
cended the tree, dressed in white, and with a consecrated 
golden knife, or pruning hook, cropped the misletoe, which 
he received in his sagum or robe, amidst the rapturous ac- 


F 


42 


HISTORY OF THE 


clamations of the people. Having secured this sacred 
plant, he descended the tree ; the bulls were sacrificed, and 
the Deity invoked to bless his own gift, and render it effi¬ 
cacious in those distempers to which it should be adminis¬ 
tered. 

These conseciated groves, in which the Druids per¬ 
formed their religious rites, were fenced on every side with 
stones and trees, to prevent persons entering between the 
trees, except through the passages left open for that pur¬ 
pose, and which were guarded by some of the inferior 
Druids, and to prevent strangers from intruding into their 
mysteries. 

These groves were of different forms; some circular, 
others oblong, and more or less capacious, as the votaries 
in the districts to which they belonged were more or less 
numerous: the area in the centre of the grove was encom¬ 
passed with several rows of large oaks, set very close to¬ 
gether, within which there were several smaller ones, sur¬ 
rounded with large stones, and near the centre of these 
smaller circles were stones of a prodigious size and conve¬ 
nient height, on which the victims were slain and offered. 
Each of these, being a kind of altar, was surrounded with 
another row of stones, the use of which is not now known, 
unless they were intended to keep the people at a conve¬ 
nient distance from the officiating priest. 

It has been said by an ancient learned author,* that the 
Druids sacrificed men, to the god Mercury, to whom they 
offered their victims; but this it seems was done only on 
extraordinary occasions,f as, to consult what measures to 
take, to learn what would befal them, &c. by the fall of the 
victim, the tearing of his members, and the manner of his 
blood gushing out. This custom was condemned by Au~ 

* Suetonius, in liis Life of Claudius, 
t Diodorus Siculus. 


ANCIENT BJRITONS. 


43 


gustus, and punished by Tiberius and Claudius , and totally 
abolished. 

The Druids were the judges and arbitrators of all differ¬ 
ences and disputes, both public and private ; they took cog¬ 
nizance of all murders, inheritances, boundaries, and limits, 
and decreed rewards and punishments. Such as disobeyed 
their decisions they excommunicated, which was their prin¬ 
cipal punishment; the criminal being thereby excluded 
from all public assemblies, and avoided by all the world, 
so that nobody durst speak to him for fear of being pol¬ 
luted ;* but they had sometimes interest and authority 
enough to stop armies upon the point of engaging, and ac¬ 
commodate their differences.f 

The opinions entertained by the Druids of Gaul and 
Britain, of their arnguinum or serpent’s egg,* both as a 
charm, and as a medicine, are romantic and extravagant in 
a high degree : this extraordinary egg was formed, as they 
pretended, by a great number of serpents interwoven and 
twisted together, and when it was raised up in the air by 
the hissing of the serpents, and was to be caught in a clean 
white cloth before it fell to the ground, the person who 
caught it was obliged to mount a swift horse, and ride away 
at full speed, to escape from the serpents, who pursued him 
with great rage, until they were stopped by some river. 

The way of making trial of the genuineness of this egg 
was no less extraordinary. It was to be enchased in gold, 
and thrown into a river, and, if it was genuine, it would 
swim against the stream. This egg was about the bigness 
of a moderate sized apple ; its shell was a cartilaneous in¬ 
crustation, full of little cavities, such as are on the legs of 
the polypus ; it was the ingnia, or badge of distinction of 

* Caesar. f According to Strabo. 

X According to Pliny. 


44 


HISTORY OF THE 


the Druid.* The virtues which were ascribed to this egg 
were many and wonderful: it was particularly efficacious 
to render those who carried it about with them superior to 
their adversaries in all disputes, and to procure them the 
favours and friendship of great men. 

In Britain the magic arts were cultivated with such as¬ 
tonishing success and so many ceremonies, that the Britons 
seemed capable of instructing even the Persians themselves 
in those arts, and pretended to discover the designs and 
purposes of the Gods: the eubates or vases, in particular, 
investigate and display the most sublime secrets of nature, 
and by auspices and sacrifices they also [foretold future 
events.f 

They were so famous for the supposed veracity of their 
predictions, that they were consulted on all important oc¬ 
casions by their own princes and great men, and sometimes 
even by the Homan Emperors. This reputation of their 
magical and prophetical powers contributed greatly to the 
advancement of their wealth and influence, which they en¬ 
deavoured to strengthen and establish by all their arts and 
cunning. 

There is ample testimony of their architectural know¬ 
ledge and ability; and among others the celebrated monu¬ 
ment of antiquity, Stonehenge, in Wiltshire, still remains.^ 

The British Druids were in the zenith of their power 
and glory at the time of the first invasion of the Romans 
under Julius Csesar, b. c. 55; but as the Romans gained 
ground in the island, their power gradually declined, until 
it was almost quite destroyed. The Romans discovered 
every where a great animosity against the persons and re- 

* Ibid. f Ibid. 

t For an account of the antiquity of this, see Geoffrey of Monmouth, who 
wrote a History of the Britons, in the time of King Stephen. Polydore VirgiU 
and others. 


ANCIENT BRITONS. 


45 


ligion of the Druids, partly owing to their abhorrence 
of the cruel rites of which the Druids were guilty, and 
partly to considerations of a political nature; for the Ro¬ 
mans were fully aware that they could not establish their 
own authority, and secure the obedience of Gaul and Bri¬ 
tain, without destroying the influence of the Druids in those 
countries. 

The foregoing short account of the Ancient Britons can¬ 
not fail to excite in the mind of the reader a train of im¬ 
portant reflections:—they were an instance of a people 
destitute of almost all the comforts of civilized life, yet by 
no means deficient in scientific information, possessing so 
many just opinions respecting the attributes of Deity, and 
yet presuming to worship him with the most bloody and 
abominable rites. 

“ Not far away, for ages past had stood 
“ An old inviolated sacred wood, 

“ Whose gloomy boughs thick interwoven made 
“ A chilly cheerless everlasting shade: 

“ There, nor the rustic gods, nor satyrs sport, 

“ Nor fawns and sylvans with the nymphs resort; 

“ But barb’rous priests some dreadful power adore, 

“ And lustrate every tree with human gore.” * 

A little previous to the time of Christianity being intro¬ 
duced into Britain, there is no notice of that important oc¬ 
currence, the capture of Mona by the Roman general, Seu- 
tonius Paulinus, and the fate of the Druid College in that 
island. 

Mona was considered among the Britons to be a place of 
peculiar sanctity; but the Romans were no friends to their 
superstitions, and therefore, under the specious pretext 


* Rowe's Lucan. 


46 


HISTORY OF THE 


that it served to harbour the refractory Britons, who hoped 
to live independent of Rome, Seutonius was determined to 
violate its sacredness, and reduce the inhabitants under the 
Roman yoke. 

Seutonius marched his troops to the banks of the Menai , 
where he had provided boats ready to transport the infantry, 
while the horse were to explore a ford to pass over, and 
which they accordingly effected. 

The intrepidity of the Romans amazed the islanders, 
while the priests and priestesses were struck with horror 
and consternation. The priestesses presented a terrific 
sight, and gave the Romans an idea of the infernal furies; 
for these females, thinking to scare the soldiers by their 
frantic aspect, or to restrain them with the notion of the 
sacredness of their character, ran up and down, with dish¬ 
evelled hair, carrying firebrands in their hands, and uttering 
dreadful imprecations on the heads of those who were at 
the same time the enemies both of their country and their 
religion. 

The soldiers were at first seized with a sudden panic; 
and instead of advancing, stood like men chilled with hor¬ 
ror. But at the word of Seutonius their general, they soon 
recovered themselves, and flew with irresistible impetuosity 
upon all who stood in their way, slaughtering all without 
distinction, sparing neither sacred nor profane; they paid 
no respect to the altars and the groves of the Druids, de¬ 
molishing the former, and cutting down the latter. 

The notions entertained by the Romans of the barbarity 
of the Druid rites, increased their rage; as they had been 
taught to believe that the British Druid offered up all their 
prisoners on the altar, as victims to the demons whom they 
worshipped. 

Mona being so sacred a spot among the British Druids, 
and one of the last retreats of their superstition while the 


ANCIENT BRITONS. 


47 


Romans were extending their conquests through Britain,— 
its destruction, in which so many of their priests were in¬ 
volved, may be considered to have been the grand prelude 
of the approaching ruin of the whole system of British su¬ 
perstition. 

The capture of Mona , it is probable, was not the death¬ 
blow to Druidism, as some have supposed; for, notwith¬ 
standing the strong language of the Roman historians, the 
Britons would recover from their consternation, and the 
Romans, after the first venting of their rage, would feel 
some sympathy for their heathen brethren, and be able to 
trace many things in their mythology and rites similar to 
their own. 

Druidism was so deeply rooted a superstition, that it was 
not to be exterminated so suddenly ; for it had many strong¬ 
holds in various parts of the island, and especially in the 
mountains and secluded situations, and the islands of the 
north-west coast. 

In proportion as the Romans extended their conquests, 
and established their own civil regulations in the country, 
accompanied by their literature and polished arts, the 
attachment of the natives to their ancient superstitions 
would be continually diminishing. The Druids acting no 
longer as magistrates, and the principal youth being edu¬ 
cated in the.Roman learning, and initiated into their insti¬ 
tutions,—the vast influence which the British Magi had 
hitherto maintained over the minds of the populace, must 
in a short time be completely lost. It was not at once that 
this could be thoroughly effected, even after the public 
exercise of their rites was prohibited; for there was some¬ 
thing in the Druidical species of heathenism, that was pe¬ 
culiarly calculated to arrest the attention, and to impress 
the mind. 

The rudely majestic circle of stones in their temples, the 


48 


HISTORY OF THE 


enormous Cromlech , the massy Logan, the huge Carnedhe, 
and the magnificent amphitheatre of wood* would strongly 
lay hold upon that religious thoughtfulness of soul which 
has ever been so natural to man, amid all the wrecks of 
humanity, the monument of his former perfection. 

The infatuated Britons met with the objects of their re¬ 
ligious veneration every where; the sun, the great regent 
of the day,—the moon, illuminating the darkness of the 
night,—the rivers, fountains, and lakes,—the lofty mountain, 
—and the waters of the ocean encircling Britain,—together 
with the rude monuments interspersed throughout the 
country,—to all these our forefathers paid divine honours. 

Wherever Roman stations were fixed, and Roman towns 
raised, they consequently withdrew the British populace 
from their own superstitions to those of Rome. The Britons 
half Romanized, and the Romans half Britonized in their 
idolatry, soon lost all that attachment to their nation which 
was merely the servant of prejudice, and yet the strongest 
barrier generally against conversion. 

By the subjugation of Britain to the power of Rome, the 
grand purpose of Divine Providence was matured. The 
knowledge and learning possessed by the Druids sunk into 
obscurity, and their temporal dignity was gone for ever. 
The magic chain by which the multitude had been kept in 
awe, from the belief of their very superior knowledge, as 
well as their greater power, was dissolved by the consum¬ 
mate artifices of their new masters, who, by civilizing them, 
at the same time adopted the surest method of enslaving 
them ; and the means they employed to rivet the chains of 
the nations dependent upon them proved the subversion of 
Rome. 



ANCIENT BRITONS. 


49 


The accredited author of the History of Ancient Britain, 
Gildas, surnamed Sapiens , or the TVise, was a British monk; 
and one of the most ancient British writers. He is known 
among many authors by the name of Badonius, thus dis¬ 
tinguishing him from Gildas Albanius, who is said to have 
lived at a much earlier period than Gildas Sapiens. His 
surname, Badonius , is derived from a memorable victory 
gained by the Britons over the Saxons, at the hill of Badon, 
now Bath, about the time of his birth, in the year 520. 

Having been educated according to the manners of the 
times, he became Monk of Bangor, where he diligently ap¬ 
plied himself to the learning which prevailed at that pe¬ 
riod, and more particularly to the study of the Scriptures, 
with a view of qualifying himself for the duties of a public 
preacher. 

It is said that, at the request of Americas, he visited 
Ireland, where he distinguished himself by his zeal and 
success in converting Pagans to Christianity, confuting the 
heretics of the age, establishing monasteries, and in re¬ 
forming the corrupt state of principles and manners which 
had become prevalent among the Christians of that island. 

Upon his return, he passed some time in the northern 
part of Britain, visited France and Italy, and then returned 
home, where he acquired a high reputation as a most in¬ 
defatigable preacher, who never hesitated to censure the 
prevailing vices of the age. He is said to have died at the 
Abbey of Bangor , in the year 590, though some writers say 
that this event happened at Glastonbury, full twenty years 
previous. His chief work was Epistola de Exudio Britanice, 
et Castigatione Ordinis Ecclesiastici, containing lamentations 
over the miseries and almost total ruin of his countrymen, 
and some very severe reproofs of the corruption and pro¬ 
fligacy of manners in which all ranks were sharers, and of 
which he drew a most alarming picture. This curious re- 


G 






50 


HISTORY OF THE 


main of British ecclesiastical antiquities was first printed by 
Polgclore Virgil, in the year 1525, from an imperfect copy; 
it was afterwards published in the year 1568 by John Josse- 
line, from another and more perfect manuscript copy; but 
the best edition was published by Dr. Thomas Gale, in the 
first volume of his Historice Britannicoe, Saxonicoe, 8fc. 

There are numerous fragments of Letters written by 
Gildas, in an old collection of canons, preserved among the 
manuscripts in the Cottonial Library in the British Museum. 

From the accounts given by ancient writers of the most 
undoubted veracity, some opinion may be formed respecting 
the degraded state of our ancestors previous to the intro¬ 
duction of Christianity into Britain, while involved in the 
darkness of heathenism. No country could stand in greater 
need of the light of Christianity than the island of Britain; 
for, although there were several favourable traits in the 
character of the Ancient Britons, and their Druid sages, 
yet their habitations were those of cruelty and blood, and 
the most diabolical passions predominated among them; 
they were also addicted to the most nefarious practices, 
promoted by that system of superstition which prevailed 
among them. 

Whatever proficiency some of the Druid sages may have 
made in physical or moral science, the common people re¬ 
mained in a state of ignorance as well as barbarity of man¬ 
ners ; and if they exerted themselves in any way to produce 
moral reformation, their efforts it appears were unavailing. 
There were certain principles taught by the Druids, which, 
if they had been properly applied, probably would have 
had a favourable effect on the minds of the ignorant people; 
but their horrid superstition perverted every thing. 

It is highly gratifying to reflect, that there are credible 
documents to be found, amply sufficient to satisfy the en- 


ANCIENT BRITONS. 


51 


quiries of the antiquary, that Britain at an early period was 
visited with the bright sunshine of Christian truth. And 
some of the earliest writers of antiquity mention the early 
reception of Christianity among the Ancient Britons: such 
are, Tertullias, who flourished about the middle of the 
second century; the learned Origes , who flourished about 
the year 220; Arnobius, who flourished about the year 306; 
St. Chrysostom , primate of Constantinople, who flourished 
about the year 400; Theocloret, who flourished in the year 
423 ; Eusebius , the venerable Bishop of Caesarea; and 
Gildas, generally called Gildas Badonityis, a chieftain of the 
north. Gildas, with his father Caw, and others of his 
family, after the last grand conflict between the Saxons and 
the Northumbrian Britons, fled into Wales, where many 
of them embraced a religious life. It was there Gildas ap¬ 
pears to have paid attention to the history of Britain; but 
owing to the distresses of the times, and the unsettled state 
of things, he could collect little information. 

The curious reader is referred to those ancient writers 
for further information: to have entered at large into the 
subject is what the compiler of the foregoing pages sedu¬ 
lously avoided, it being too extensive a field to be entered 
upon in a tract of this small size. 


PRINTED FOR W. R. BY G. COVENTRY, TOTTENHAM. 




































